Drain valve



Feb. 5, 1952 R. R. CURTIS 2,584,188

DRAIN VALVE Filed Jan. 50, 1946 EEI \\\\ s f v f Patented Feb. 5, 1952 DRAIN VALVE Russell R. Curtis, Dayton, Ohio, assigner, byl mesne vassignments, to Curtis Automotive Devices, Inc., Dayton, Qhio, a corporation of Ohio Application `Fanuary 30, 1946,.-Seria1No. 644,387

1 Claim. i

This invention relates to shut-off valves or drain cocks and speciiically deals with a drain valve having an open-ended hollowplug housing adapted to be threaded into a tank, a radiator, a pipe, or a crankcase or the like, together with a hollow tubular valve member slidable in the housing and carrying, at one end, a-resilient seal to act on the adjacent Yend of the housing for closing the valve, as well as operating handles projecting into bayonet slots at the other end'oi the housing for moving the valve between open and closed positions.

This application is a continuation-impart ofV my copending application entitled: Drain Cockfrserial No. 573,433, led January 18, 1945, now abandoned.

According to this invention, a hollow openended plug-like housing has a beveled valveseating face at one open end thereof and diametrically Opposed bayonet slots in the other end thereof. These bayonet slots are arranged with axially extending outer end portions, oppositively sloping relatively steep inclined portions inwardly from the axially extending portions and horizontal vrecessed inner end portions at the bottoms of the inclined portions. The hollow valve member is slidably mounted in the plug-like housing and has a solid end or head carrying a resilient sealring such as a rubber grommet. This seal ring projects radially beyond the head to seat on the beveled seating face at the adjacent end of the plug housing. A feature of the invention includes the provision of means on the head of the v`valve member for backing up the projecting portion of the seal ring to hold the ring lon the head even when it is seated against the housing with appreciable force. The valve member has radial ports inwardly of the head ior'flow of -uid Vinto the hollowlvalve member when the seal ring is moved away from itsseat. The housing preferably has an enlarged counterbore in the end thereof remote from the beveled seat-defining end, and a shoulder is provided in the housing at the bottom vof this counterbore. The hollow valve member has an'enlargedfhead slidable in this counterbore and providing a shoulder opposing the shoulder in the housing. A compression spring surrounds the valve member and is vseated on the shoulders of the housing and valve member respectively Yto urge the valve member `into closed position. The headend of the valve member has 1Tlrldles projecting radially therefrom through the bayonet slots. At least one outer extremity oiga bayonet slot has aprojection thereon extend."

beyond the end of the housing.

ing into the bayonet slot to forma stop `for the handle operating in this slot for preventing release of vthe valve member from the housing in the event ofk disintegration of the resilient seal ring. This stop will act on the handle to prevent the spring from pushing the valve member out of the bayonet Vslotted end portion of the housing.

The conguration of the bayonet slots is such that the handles can only be moved from their outermostrpositions in a straight axial direction to crack the valve for unseating the resilient ring without subjecting. the ring to shearing action such as wouldoccur by rotation ofthe ring on the seat of the housing. The inclined portions of the bayonet slots then guide the handles to rotate the valve and move the sealingring to -a fully opened position away fromits seat. In this vposition thev ports of the valve project Further ro-v tation of the valve handles will `move the same into the recessed horizontal inner end portions of the bayonet slots and these recessed portions will retain the handles to hold the valve in open position. The recesses have seats which will retain the handles and the spring will urge the handles against these seats. until Vthe handles are depressed and reversely rotated. into the inclined portions of the slots whereupon the spring will automatically move the handles into the axial outer ends of the slotsY and close the valve.V

The bayonet slots, therefore, so guide the handles that the valve is lrst moved fromits closed position to a cracked or partially opened position in a straight axial direction, and is vthen partially rotated and axiallymoved to a `fully opened position in which it is retainedby the recesses at the inner ends of the slots until the handles are reversely rotated, whereupon` the spring will automatically close the valve.

The drain valvesof this invention are easily assembled by dropping the spring into 'the counterbore Yof the housing plug, by inserting the hollow tubular valve with the handles thereon into the housing, by seating the handlesin .the recesses vat the inner ends of the bayonet slots, by placing a rubber grommet in a groove provided in the head end ofthe tubular valve, by placing a backing-up member 'or cap on the head end of the valve to act against the projecting portion of the grommetin opposed relation to vthe valve seat lof the housing, and by staking metal at the 'outer end vof 'oneof the bayonet slots vto form aprojection to Vact 'as a ystop for the`h andle,

It is, then, van object of this inventionto p'ro vide a drain valve, suitable for draining radiators, tanks, crankcases, and the like embodying a hollow open-ended tubular plug housing, a hollow tubular valve slidable in the housing and having a closed head carrying a rubber grommet for seating on anI end of the housings a spring for urging the valve into closed position, and handles on the valve riding in bayonet slots in the housing to shift the valve between open and closed positions without subjecting the grommet to shearing stresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drain valve with a tubular valve member actuated by a bayonet slot type cam which iirst cracks the valve by moving the tubular valve member in a straight axial direction, which then rotates the valve to a fully opened position and next retains the valve in the fully opened position.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a drain valve having a resilient sealing ring carried by a tubular valve member and including means for bottoming the sealing ring to hold it in operative position even when it is seated with considerable force.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drain valve with operating cams that will hold the valve in opened position and will not interfere with full seating of the valve in fully closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve with a tubular slidably mounted valve member that carries a rubber seating ring in such a manner that the ring will not be separated therefrom nor subjected to excessive deection tending to separate it from the tubular valve member.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a. valve member carrying a resilient sealing ring in radially projecting relation and having a cap member secured thereon to bottom the radially projecting portion of the ring.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a valve member carrying a resilient sealing ring in a groove and having one of thegroovedening walls projecting beyond the opposed groove-deiining wall to back up the outer extremity of the seal ring.

` lOther and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrates one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational viewV of a drain valve according to this invention illustrating the valve in opened position.

Figure 2 is an end elevational fragmentary view i taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, but illustrating the valve in closed position.

Figure 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of the valve taken along the line III-III of Figure 2, but illustrating the valve in opened position wherein the valve member is rotated 90 from the position shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, butillustrating the valve in closed position and showing, in dotted lines, the manner in which the cap member is secured on the head end of the valve.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary axial cross-sectional view of the head end of a modified drain valve according to this invention illustrating, in dotted lines, the initial shape of the head end of the valve.

As shown on the drawings:

The drain valve I0 of this invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, is composed of a tubular openended plug housing II, a tubular valve member I2 slidably mounted in the housing, a spring I3 surrounding the valve I2 and encased in the housing Il for urging the valve member into closed position, a rubber gromrnet or sealing ring I4 carried by the valve member I2, an end cap I5 on the valve member I2 for backing up the grommet I4, and handles I6 projecting radially from the valve member I2.

The housing I I has an externally threaded portion IIa for threaded engagement in a tank, radiator, crankcase or the like, an intermediate wrench-receiving head IIb for tightening the threaded end I Ia into position, and a slotted cylindrical end portion IIc. The end face of the threaded end IIa of the housing is internally beveled to provide a valve-seating face I Id. This face IId converges to a cylindrical bore IIe extending through the portion IIa of the housing and into the portion IIb of the housing. A counterbore IIf is provided through the portion I Ic of the housing into the portion I Ib to terminate at a shoulder IIg connecting the counterbore with the bore I Ie.

The portion IIc of the housing has a pair of diametrically opposed bayonet slots Ili and IIh extenglig inwardly from the free end thereof. hach bayonet slot I Ih and I Ii has the portion I1 extending axially inward from the end wall of the portion I Ic to a relatively steep inclined portion I8. The inclined portions I8 of the slots IIh and I Ii extend in opposite directions on opposite sides of the portion IIc to inner end horizontal portions 20. The portions 20 of each slot are oilset from the portions I1. Each portion`20 has a seating face 20a providing a reentrant recess 2I that is somewhat axially offset from the inner end of the sloping portion toward the outer end of each slot. This provides a locking recess which will retain the handle I6. The bayonet slots are thus arranged to provide cams for handles I5 which guide the vvalve member I2 in a straight axial direction along the portion I'I of the slots and then rotate the valve member I2 through a quarter of a turn along the oppositely inclined portions I8 of the slot while further moving the valve member in an axial direction to a fully opened position. At the inner ends of the slots the handles are guided by the substantially circumferential portions 20 in a direction substantially transverse to the axis of the housing for rotating the valve member without axial movement. As the handles are seated on the locking faces 20a of the recesses or inner ends 20 of the slots, the valve member is retracted ajslight axial distance so that the handles will become locked in the recesses to hold the valve member in an opened position. The valve member is thus rotated a quarter of a turn between its opened and closed positions but with all movement of the rubber sealing ring I4 carried by the valve member onto and oli of its seat IId being in a straight axial direction, without rotation.

Metal of the portion IIc of the housing is4 pinched or staked into one of the slots, such as the slot IIh, to form a projection or nib IU at the free end of the axial portion I1 of theA slot for overlying the handle I6 that rides in the slot. This projection Ilf is normallly spaced from the handle I6 as shown in Figure 4 of the 'drawings teven when the valve -is iin' lits iffully vclosedposition. -v`viE-Iow-even'finv the 1 event-'ofifailure vofthe'sealingringflllfthefspring if 3 vvill urgev'the valve member I2 toward fitheopen fend-of the housing II. The projection Ily' thereupon engages theg-handleto-retain the valve member in the housing. y

As best shown 'inligures 3 land 5, the valve member it2zisz in:ther-generaliformiy of a cylindrical tube having a straight cylindricalfoutenwall I2a along the .majorportion of its length and sliding in the bore `I Ie of*the"housin'g. The vvalve member t2has an enlarged diameter cylindrical'head portion T211ttingratherlfreelyzin the Vfcounterbore r.I I'fn'f 4the -housing .II. 1A shoulder .I2e is provided .between .the .portions :I2e and Iz2b 'to receive thezspring .I3 thereagamst. Astraight cylindrical `fbore .or .passageway 1I-2d extends iinwariily from .theheadend 12b y'rif:.the valve member I 2 to a solidrendl2e. flhisfsolid end or head I2e form/s an end wall yi'or lthe Abore I2d, and radiaIbOres I2f in right-angular relation'through thevalve'rxnernber I2 adj'acerittlre end "I2e intersect thebore or `passageivew #52d to `provide drainage-portsthroug'hfWhichiilid canfflow finto the bore |201 when the valve is in opened position as shown in Fig. 3. These ports are retracted into the housing Il when the valve is closed as shown in Figure 5.

The end I2e of the valve has a circumferential groove I2g therearound receiving the sealing ring I4. This groove I2g has iiat opposed side walls and a iiat bottom.

A nubbin or cylindrical lug 22 is initially formed on the axial central portion of the end I2e as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. This nubbinv 22 has a diameter materially less than the end I2e.

The cap member I5, composed of metal or other rigid retaining material, has a central ap-v erture I5a adapted to embrace the nubbin 22. A top wall I5b on the cap overlies the end portion I2e and extends radially outward from the aperture I5a to a skirt or flange portion I 5c which surrounds the head I 2e and provides a rim surface or end I5d overlying and backing up the radially extending portion of the sealing ring I4. The cap I5 is secured in position on the end I2e by peening or spinning the nubbin 22 to i'orm a head 22a overlying the aperture I5a of the cap and forming a rivet-like retainer for the cap.

The sealing ring I4 is of rectangularl cross section to snugly t the groove I2g. It can be inexpensively formed by slicing a straight cylindrical rubber tube int'o ring segments with iiat parallel side walls. The ring is adapted to be stretched over the end I2e to be snapped into the groove I2g. The cap I5 is then mounted on the end I 2e and, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, this cap will back up or bottom the radially projecting portion of the ring I4 on one side face of the ring. The other side face of the ring projects radially beyond the end beveledr seat IId and, as shown in Figure 5, this projecting portion will be resiliently deformed into seating conformity with the beveled seat IId when the spring I3 is allowed to urge thevalve member` into its closed position. In this closed position, the ports I2f are retracted into the bore I Ie of the housing, and are sealed by the seating engagement of the ring I 4 on the seat I Id. The passageway l2d of the valve member is thereby closed.

As explained above, in order to open the valve from the closed position shown in'Figure 5, it is I2e to engage thei merely necessary 'to A1grasp lthe handles ITB and move themaxially inward along 'the'po'rtion :I1 of the bayonet slots. Further axial inward movement will be partially "translated in'to'rotatlve movement along fthe lportions Ii8 -o1. fthe fslots which f guide lthe vhandles to the Ihorizontal p01'- tions '2D f of the '-slots into the recesses n2|I. This movement 'will yaxially shift. andirotate .the valve member I2 -to Aposition the iports iI`2f 'thereof beyondsthe seating race I Id .'of the housing. Howeveizthe `valve `isiirst.- cracked to move the'sealing "ring It away fromits'seat I Id 'Without rotating the valv'egor sealing ring. Thus'the valve isnrstmoved in a straightaxial direction l-along thelportion I 1 -o'f the Vslots f and shearing 'stresses on the :rubber sealing -ringare eliminated.

'In fthe modied valve I 0a shown in Figure, the valve member I2 'has a diierentend portion or head 23 for carrying the sealing'ring I4. In this figure, parts-identical with vparts 'described in connection with Figures r1 to 5 have been marked with the saine reference numerals. shown, "'theend 23 has thesameigroove I2g lfor lreceiving lthe :sealing Yring I4 as rthe end I2e. However, the cap member I5 is dispensed with and the extremity of the end 23 is initially formed at an angle to provide a tilted flange 24 as shown in dotted lines. This tilted flange will have the major diameter thereof the same as the end I2e for the valve I2 and can be formed without loss of stock on a screw machine or the like, which cuts the reduced-diameter portion I2a, the head 23, and the groove IZq in a cylindrical tube having an initial diameter the same as the head portion I 2b. This tilted portion 24 can receive the sealing ring I4 thereover to allow the ring to be snapped into the bottom of the groove |29'.y The tilted portion is then attened to provide the end Wall 25 for the groove I 2g in spaced parallel relation with the opposed end wall of the groove. The portion 25 will extend radially outward to the major diameter of the sealing ring 24 to back up the portion of the sealing ring which projects from the end 23 and thus serves the same function as the rim edge I 5d of the can I5.

From the above descriptions it will be understood that the invention provides a drain valve composed of nested hollow plug housing and valve parts. The housing has diametrically onposed bayonet slots receiving handles on the valve part to provide cams for these handles to operate the valve between opened and closed positions relative to the housing. The valve carries a resilient sealing ring` such as a rubber grommet of rectangular cross section sliced from a rubber tube, to seat on a seat provided in the end face of the plug housing. The bayonet slots are so arranged that this sealing ring will never be rotated against the housing seat and therefore is not subjected to shearing action. The valve can be locked in opened position by recesses provided in the inner ends of the bayonet slots. A quarterturn rotation of the valve member in the housing will move it from fully closed to fully opened position. The Valve member is arranged to back up the rubber sealing ring on the end face thereof opposite its sealing face so that the ring can be deformed and subjected to considerable axial force without being sheared or tilted out of its eny gagement with the valve.

of this invention and it is, therefore, not the pur- 7 pose to limit the patent granted herein otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claim. i I claim as my invention:

A drain valve comprising a tubular valve body having a valve seat at one end and oppositely inclined bayonet slots in the other end, a tubular valve member slidably mounted in said body having7 a closed end adjacent the valve seat, said valve member having openings therethrough adjacent said closed end to connect the interior of the valve member with the space surrounding the valve seat end of the body, a spring in said body acting on the valve member to urge it toward the slotted end of the body for retraeting the openings into the body, radially projecting means on the closed end of the valve member for engaging said valve seat of the body, radially extending handles onV the open end of 'the valve member extending through said bayonet'slots, said bayonet slots having reentrant recesses'at the inner ends thereof to retain said handles for holding the -valve member in opened position with the ports thereof extendingbeyond the valve seat lof the body, 'and said slotted end of the body having a RUSSELL R. CUPJ'I'IS.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

AUNITED STATES viAfrnri'rs,

Numberl Namey y Date 645,078 Field Mar'. 13,'1900 1,291,843 Green Jan. 21, 1919 1,560,770 Everstr'om Nov. 10, 1925 1,954,986 Carlson Apr. 17, 1934 2,128,520 Armstrong Aug. 30, 1938 2,310,599 Roach' Feb. 9, 1943 v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date j 2,315 lGermany of 1878 76,466 Germany of 1894 Great Britain of 1924 

